US2476858A - Gauge holder - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1949. A. GRAHAM GAUGE HOLDER Filed May 9, 1947 am G 1w. 1w l Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE GAUGE HOLDER Albert Graham, Canton, Ohio Application May 9, 1947,V Serial No. 747,030

3 Claims. (Cl. 33-168) The invention relates generally to holders for a set of tools, and more particularly to a novel holder for a set of at feeler gauges. Prior holders for a set of flat gauges have included side plates normally covering the gauges which are pivoted at one end in the side plates, so that any of the gauges may separately be swung about the pivot to operative position. However, in using the gauges in such work as adjusting automotive valves, it is diicult and awkward to hold a desired gauge in operative position. It has been proposed to provide means on the holder for engaging one edge of the extended gauge, but such means is unsatisfactory because it prevents movement of the gauge in only one direction.

Another disadvantage of such prior gauge holders is that it is difiicult to swing the gauges out-from the side plates, and although a nger notch is sometimes provided in one or both side plates, such notch is not very helpful if the gauges are held in the side plates tightly enough to prevent their accidental dislodgment, or if the operators fingers are oily.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel gauge holder which overcomes the disadvantages of prior constructions.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel gauge holder having means for tightly clamping any of the gauges separately in operative position.

Another object is to provide a gauge holder having novel means for starting the gauges to swing out from the side plates.

A further object is to provide a. simple, compact and inexpensive gauge holder which is easily operated for gripping any of a set of gauges separately in operative position.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions and arrangements comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the following specification, and which is set forth and defined in the claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, the invention may be described as a gauge holder having a plurality of superimposed gauges pivoted at one end within a pair of side plates, said side plates being eX- tended beyond the pivoted ends and tapered toward each other, a screw clamp being provided on the side plate extensions for tightly clamping any of the gauges between the ends of the extensions, and there being a linger member swiveled in the opposite ends of the side plates for initiating swinging movement of all of the gauges out from the holder.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example,

Figure l is a top plan view of the improved gauge holder with one of the gauges clamped in operating position, and the other gauges started to swing out from the holder;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, as on line 33,-Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of the linger member for initiating the swinging movement of the gauges from the holder.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

While the novel gauge holder is shown and described as applied to a set of flat feeler gauges, it is apparent that the invention may be em. bodied in a holder for other gauges or tools, as for example, in a set of screw driver blades, without departing from the scope of invention as defined in the claims.

The improved holder preferably includes a pair of longitudinal side plates 5 which are mounted in spaced parallel relation and are adapted to enclose a set of flat feeler gauges 6. The feeler gauges 6 are of usual construction and are preferably all the same length and width for being superimposed upon each other within the side plates '5. As shown, the side plates 5 are substantially the same width or slightly wider than the feeler gauges B.

At one `end the feelergauges 6 are pivotally mounted in the side plates 5 by a rivet or bolt 1, so that anyrof the gauges may be. swung through substantially to operative position such as occupied by the gauge 6a in Figs. l and 2.

Adjacent the free ends of the gauges 6 when folded within the side plates, the side plates are secured together by means of a rivet or bolt 8 which serves to aid in holding the set of gauges relatively tightly within the side plates 5 when not in use. The parts thus far described comprise a conventional form of feeler gauge, and per se form no part of the present invention.

In the present invention the side plates 5 are provided with extensions or projections 9 extending longitudinally beyond the pivot 1 and ends of the gauges 6 adjacent thereto, and as shown in Fig. 2, these extensions are offset or tapered toward each other so that their outer end portions l0 are closely adjacent each other. As

bottom gauge 6a is shown in this position.v Prefe erably, the 'improved dlampingrnneans inriludes n U-shaped clamp piece I'I secured to one ofthe extensions 9 as by rivets I2 and extending around one side of the extensions and over the top thereof. A thumb screw I3 is threaded through portion of the clamp II for squeezing the ends .Ill`

of the extensions together and tightly clamping the gauge 6a therebetween. The gauges :ar-termin and flexible enough so that they will bend sulliciently when clamped to position the outwardly projecting portion of the gauge in a plane substantially parallel Ythe :ende V"plates nf the kmlder. sin `this position, the grange 5a 'nr may :ef the other gauges is held ilnimnvenientlynperative rposit'ionandtheiciannpin'gscrew I3 can easilybe tightened ito .grip 'the its operative iposition so that it willrdtwll'lgitonfight orleft on'nthe Divot 7l. Y

In order to initiate tllre swinging Jmovement nf thelga'uges i6 ffrmnthefside ,pia'tes fof the -holder, a novel finger pieueiis vprovided adjacent to the free ends of Vthe rgaages. This .ngeripiece preferably includes fan fanmilar portion CHI rotatably mounted on the bltil, .and havinga projecti'on l 5 "for engaging the irreefen'ds ofthe gauges at xone sit-le lthereof. fopposite side fof annularY portion I4 is jam mitwardliy curved proijecton 1B iwhichiis adapted Ftobe ezrgagedfby `the thumb for fn'ger fer fnrcng the 'projection against the gauges 5to imtiatetheirswing. l*I'hus Y fire finger -:piece 'provides @for starting all ni the gauges to swing iabout lth'eir pivot fl as indicated in Fig. `1, eventhe gauges fare it-ightlyfhe'ld ibetween lthe-sideplates by 'the bolts `1 iand i8.

The novel gauge holderiis simple andfinexpensive to manufacture, easy and convenient etomse, and overcomes the disadvantages `'of-prior 'gauge :nei-ders, m 'Itri-a1; 'the gauges are easily .started swinging toward operative an fany idesred gauge :is quickly nightly-clamped fin 'operative pesitionfduing use iIn vthe T'foregoing Vdescription;certainterms have been :used Yfor '-brevity, `clearners and *understand ing, Ibutno unnecessarylimitat'ions vare to be limpiled therefrom ibeyond 'the'requiremerts iof the prior art, because such words iareuseti i-fnr de soriptive purposes herein and are intended to .be broadly feonstru'ed.r l

Moreover, -the embodiment fof the improved 4 Y. construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the constructiomthe operation Vand use, and a'preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful .constructions and reasonable .mechanical .requiyalentsrthereof obvlionsto thosefskilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

Y 1. A gauge holder including a pairV of side iplates, a plurality of superimposed gauges pivoted at one end between said side plates, said side plates being extended beyond the pivoted ends ef rthegaug-esiandibeing offset toward each other, and a screw clamp at the outer end of one of said extensions for tightly gripping any of the gauges in outwardly swung position between said extensions. Y Y 1 1 f2. :Af gauge Al-i'oltl'er .including 'a pair pf side platesJa-jplurality aof superimposed gauges lpluie fted ateneie-nd between said sidepla'tesfsaid sie plates lbeing extenties 'beien-d ithe pi-vaten ends for *the gauges and being pli-set `toward Jeach o'tfhen-{liY YiLilshape-l felarn-p 4'onen-e fnf "said extensions *and surrounding :the other `'exte'nsion, and a rzliniip-V 2ing `screw Lmounted 1in 'saidlcl'amp ifor'tightly gip `'ping any of 'the Y gauges in outwardly swung posiition between said extensions.

A` gauge holder fincludirrg `a a'pair of side plates, la pluralityo'f superimposed gauges located between said side plates la-'rrd *pivoted at one 'end thereto, longitudinal lprojections on the plates extending'away fromsra'idpivotedends'and tapering 'toward each 'o'tlrrer at 'their outer ends', 'and Y'screw 'clamping imeans mounted `on the Iouter ends 'of *said projections 'for clamping 'them tonlzitwardly swung position therebetwee' ALBERT GRAHAM.

einen .',Ihe T following :references care -pf,..rec0rrd in the file of this patent:

'errer-Es Prifrnnrs Great Britain --.1 Aprrzz,

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